


like lovers do

by AconiteoftheValley (TheLilyoftheValley), TheLilyoftheValley



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: 100-word drabble collection, Angst, Character Death in second chapter, Dating, Domestic Fluff, Drabble, Drabble Collection, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Wordcount: 0-100, Wordcount: 100, protecting each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29475594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLilyoftheValley/pseuds/AconiteoftheValley, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLilyoftheValley/pseuds/TheLilyoftheValley
Summary: RiddleBat. Collection of 100-word drabbles.
Relationships: Edward Nygma/Bruce Wayne
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16





	1. Lucky Charm

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any of its characters. I desperately needed to practice working with a word limit, so my mind just grabbed RiddleBat and the 100-word story challenge and just meshed them together.

**Lucky Charm**

The crooks holding him hostage grinned at him. “Ay, Nygma?” one of them threw out, poking the tip of his shotgun against Edward’s necklace. “Why’re you wearing a Batarang round your neck?”

Edward scoffed. There was little he could do to move what was left of his dress shirt to cover the folded-up Batarang hanging close to his heart. “Because Batman gave it to me.”

All of them descended into cruel laughter. “Why? Because you asked nicely?”

“Actually, yes.” White eyes from a familiar cowl met green ones from the darkness. “And if you value your lives… Riddle me this-“


	2. Rinse and Repeat (Character Death Warning)

**Rinse and Repeat (Character Death Warning)**

“…Why?”

Maniacal laughter reverberated off the abandoned warehouse’s walls, a soundtrack to the misery at its center. The lasting echo of the gunshot rang in Batman’s ears, painting memories of the past that seemed to be repeating again in the present.

There weren’t many things that could shake him, but holding another dying member of his family in his arms rocked him to his core.

“Why, Edward?”

Blood dripped down from Edward’s trembling bottom lip. A strained, familiarly arrogant smile touched his face as he looked up at his partner. “You forget, detective, I’m the one who asks the riddles…”


	3. Defenses

**Defenses**

Bruce schooled his face and kept his voice level. “I… believe that the Manor is… protected enough as it is. Your additions are… too much.”

Edward looked away from the Batcomputer. “Oh?” he asked, rolling his eyes. “And adding another layer of encryption—elegantly crafted riddles hiding traps—is too much how exactly?”

The billionaire raised his arm and pointed to one of the security camera feeds. Jason, tied up in ninety yards of rope and dangling twenty feet above the ground, raged against the front gates of the manor.

“Hm… In my defense, the riddle was an easy one.”


	4. Demon

**Demon**

“Master Bruce… are you alright?”

The limp in his left leg had yet to leave, but there was only so much Bruce could do without his morning coffee. Tired fingers looped around the mug Alfred held out for him, and comforting heat burned his palms.

Alfred looked at him, curious but patient.

Finally, Bruce spoke.

“He hasn’t slept with many people before. He was unused to it, and tried to fight me in his sleep.” Bruce paused and took a long sip of his coffee. Fatigue touched every inch of his body’s movements. “It was like sleeping with a demon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Inspired from my roommate, who sleep-fought her boyfriend during one of the nights he slept over.))


	5. Surprise

**Surprise**

Poison green eyes fluttered and popped open, matching well with the dropped jaw. “Out of all the people in Gotham City… you’re dating _EDDIE_?!”

“You sound jealous,” Batman said.

Joker fell further into his confusion, anger mixing with denial. Half-formed sentences danced on his tongue before dying away entirely. Even with his body pinned to a wall and Batman’s arm across his collarbone, there was nothing that stopped the choked, **_“HOW?”_** from leaving the clown’s throat.

Edward rolled his eyes from behind the two enemies, twirling Joker’s handcuffs idly between his fingers. “Why is _everyone_ so shocked at the news?”


	6. Bat Back-up

**Bat Back-up**

The hard concrete of the alley wall rose up to meet his back. As Edward hissed in pain, he flashed his attacker a grin. “Mm… I’ll take a gander that you’re upset about those pictures I took of you with What’s-Her-Face?”

The brute snarled, pushing his face close to Edward’s. Spit flew from his mouth. “Shut up, you sniveling little rat!”

“Not a rat,” the former villain corrected. “Though I believe I know a flying one…”

It wasn’t a moment later before Batman landed right on top of both of them, his gloved hand already flying for the brute’s face.


	7. Riddle Back-up

**Riddle Back-up**

Batman leaned against the wall. The edge of the gargoyle he was perched on fell to shreds from bullet impact.

_“In a spot of trouble, my Knight?”_

“No.”

_“Well, if you were in any sort of trouble, then maybe you would check the fifth pocket of your belt for the surprise I made for you…”_

His hand shot to the pocket, and after a quick glance at what it was, the flashbang tool plummeted to the floor.

As he swung to a new hiding place, words echoed in his com. _“Please, hold all thanks until the end of the mission.”_


	8. Legend of Zelda

**Legend of Zelda**

“-Many have expressed trouble on the Water Temples of the series, however I—as I always do—have proved that a simple water-based puzzle is no match for me-“

Both Dick and Tim’s eyes were completely glazed over. If their slumped forms in their home theater chairs said anything, it was that they were bored out of their skulls.

Bruce sighed as he nodded toward Edward, the former villain tapping away at the game controller. “Let him have it,” he whispered.

Dick and Tim shared a tortured look. “At this point,” Tim began, “I’d rather him trying to kill us.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (My roommate borrowed a copy of "LOZ: Wind Waker" from one of her friends, and she played her favorite LOZ game all yesterday. Considering LOZ is known for its puzzles and secrets hidden within the lore, I could see Eddie getting a little too into playing the game series.)


	9. Little Gifts

**Little Gifts**

Edward gave gifts to show his love.

It had been jarring at first. Usually presents from Edward came with a riddle, and boxes with riddles on them had never meant anything good in the past. Then, Bruce figured out why Edward did what he did. Why he doted upon his partners with things they would find useful in their daily lives.

He made sure to give his actions a physical attachment to add to the promise of his love.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes,” Bruce told the anxious voice. He adjusted the modified Baterang in his hand. “Yes, I do.”


	10. Anxious

**Anxious**

It was normal for him to have days when his heart would race for no reason. He had an anxiety-formed mental illness after all.

_In through his nose, out slowly through his mouth. Hold breath in, blow breath out._

Every so often, his fingers would flick out, tense with nervous energy. Something unplanned—something that rattled his mental illness and his core—seemed to loom just out of reach. Even if it would be gone by the next day, it still bothered him when his chest and heart constricted unto themselves.

Bruce’s presence, as always, helped ease the anxious discomfort.


	11. Seduction

**Seduction**

He tried so hard not to chuckle. It was already at the tip of his tongue, refusing to sink down into his chest.

Finally, the humor of the situation won out.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” Batman asked, a playfulness in his usual deadpanned tone and a tiny smirk on his face.

“My dear Dark Knight,” Riddler drawled, still stuck with his pelvis in the air and his handcuffed arms trying to duck under his feet. “If I wanted to seduce you, it would be much more planned out than a hip thrust in the back of your Batmobile…”


	12. Flirting

**Flirting**

“You seem very interested in my cane…”

Bruce stayed quiet in his chair, continuing to study the question mark cane in his lap. 

Edward sighed, so loud it echoed around the cave. He rolled his eyes and turned, stepping away from his partner. “I see you aren’t up for trading words. Very well, I shall be off-“

Something caught his shoulder, pulling him back towards Bruce. Edward felt his legs hit Bruce’s, and then, he was in Bruce’s lap.

“I see the appeal of having this now…” Bruce rumbled.

Edward’s face turned deep red as splutters fell from his mouth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Inspired by That Scene/Screenshot of Riddler catching Batman from turning away with his cane in the Telltale games. Said screenshot lives in my mind rent-free))


End file.
